Symphonic Encounters


The VSO’s open rehearsal program, Symphonic Encounters, takes students, teachers, and community groups behind the scenes to discover what it takes for the musicians, conductors, and production team of the Vancouver Symphony to prepare for a world class concert.
In addition to the rehearsal, opportunities to Meet a Musician or take an Orpheum Tour may be offered depending on capacity. Ticket holders will be notified of these opportunities in advance of the rehearsal date.
Meet a Musician: During the break, VSO musician will be available to answer any questions students may have about a career in music or the rehearsal process.
Orpheum Tour: A 40-minute tour of the Orpheum Theatre is available as an alternative to sitting in on the second half of the rehearsal. Space is limited, so advance booking is required.
Upcoming Events
Thursday, January 30, 10am – 12:30pm
Beethoven & Tchaikovsky 6
SOLD OUT
This is a regular professional rehearsal. Please note that the rehearsal plans are decided by the conductor and might include one or all listed pieces.
Join us for Beethoven’s 7th reimagined by American composer Carlos Simon with his moving tribute Fate Now Conquers, based on a passage from one of Beethoven’s journals. Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique), which he called “the best work I have ever produced,” is the final symphony composed before his untimely death. Passionate melodies in the uncommon key of B minor with limping waltzes and brass features solidify this piece as one of his best.
SOLD OUT
Friday, February 21, 10am – 12:30pm
Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto
This is a Dress Rehearsal. Dress Rehearsals usually include a run through of the program. However, please note that rehearsal plans do sometimes change.
Childhood memories, melancholic frustrations, and moments of humor often inspire a composer’s finest works. Pēteris Vasks’ Musica Serena evokes the joys of his childhood in Soviet Latvia through an emotional, string-rich soundscape. In contrast, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, created during a time of deep depression, intertwines its somber tones with a melody that later gained fame in “All by Myself.” On a lighter note, Nielsen’s Symphony No. 2 proves that inspiration can really jump at us out of nowhere, as his piece was inspired by a funny picture he saw on the wall of a pub in Zealand, Denmark. Each movement is based on the four temperaments, an ancient Greco-Roman pseudo-science about the four fundamental personality types.
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Friday, May 2, 11am – 2pm
Tony DeSare Let’s Misbehave: The Songs of Cole Porter
This is a Dress Rehearsal. Dress Rehearsals usually include a run through of the program. However, please note that rehearsal plans do sometimes change.
Listen to the songbook of American composer Cole Porter, renowned for his compositions featured in Broadway musicals and Hollywood films in the 1920s-50s. As his songs became widely known through covers by Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O’Day, and Frank Sinatra, Porter’s songs like Anything Goes, It’s De-Lovely, and I’ve Got You Under my Skin became recognized as standards of the American songbook. Downbeat rising star vocalist Tony DeSare, along with vocalist and trombonist Aubrey Logan and Tap dancer John Manzari will take you through the timeless music of the Hollywood age.
Please note that this rehearsal starts at 11 a.m.
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How to Order
There are several ways to register for a Symphonic Encounters Concert:
- Pay in full with a credit card: Click on your preferred date and time above to create an order. Orders placed online may be reassigned to ensure that groups are seated together.
- To pay a deposit, or to pay via cheque or cash. Please contact Customer Service at education@vancouversymphony.ca
A non-refundable deposit of 10% is required to secure space at your preferred concert. The full balance is due no later than three weeks in advance of the performance
Please Note:
Teachers and Support Staff, we kindly request you reach out to education@vancouversymphony.ca for arrangement of your free tickets alongside your students.
Everyone in attendance will be required to purchase a ticket. To arrange complimentary tickets for babies 6 months and under, please contact education@vancouversymphony.ca.
MAILING ADDRESS:
Education Department, Vancouver Symphony
500–833 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 0G4
Safety Measures: For FAQ’s about Safety Measures, please click here and please see our information about the performance below. For a complete Communicable Disease Prevention Plan contact Education@vancouversymphony.ca
The Orpheum Theatre is a public space. Photos or Videos may be captured and used by the VSO for promotional or educational purposes.

We cannot guarantee that all of the listed repertoire will be rehearsed during the open rehearsal.
All rehearsals are held at the historic Orpheum Theatre in downtown Vancouver. Please use the Smithe Street entrance of the building upon arrival.
Approximately 2.5 hours. There are usually two pieces rehearsed per session, each one for about 1 hour with a 20-minute break in the middle.
All seating is in the balcony of the Orpheum Theatre and is assigned on a FIRST PAID IN FULL – BEST SEATING basis. Sending a deposit will hold the date for you and we will assign your seats upon receiving your complete payment.
Sorry, no cameras, video or tape recorders are permitted in the hall.
All tickets are $10.00 for education & community groups. For all other pricing please contact education@vancouversymphony.ca.
The ArtStarts Cherniavsky’s Mr. Music Fund offers grants to schools to assist in purchasing student tickets to classical music concerts and open rehearsals. For more information, visit https://artstarts.com/cherniavsky
Symphonic Encounters is an open rehearsal series, which means that attendees quietly observe the orchestra preparing for a regular season concert. Our suggested age range for this program is from grade 6 up to adults. Please contact the Education Assistant if you require any further advice on this matter.
Everyone in attendance will be required to purchase a ticket. Babies under 6 months of age can receive a complimentary ticket.
Program notes are available online the week of each rehearsal date. There are no printed programs available on the day of the rehearsal.
Doors open 30 minutes before the listed rehearsal time and we request that everyone be seated inside the auditorium 10 minutes before the rehearsal begins. Late comers will not be seated until an appropriate break in the rehearsal.
Full payment is required no later than 2 weeks before the rehearsal. You have the option of paying in full at the time of your registration or sending a non-refundable deposit to hold your preferred date with the balance to arrive 2 weeks prior to the rehearsal.
If you have a question that is not answered here, please call the Vancouver Symphony’s Education Department at 604.684.9100 or contact us by email at education@vancouversymphony.ca.